Study Abroad for Economics - Bocconi (Italy), London, France

Applying to College
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This is my first post on here, and I would love some advice concerning study abroad for economics. A little bit about me: I am currently a sophomore at WashU with a declared major in Economics, and minors in Compsci and English. I am proficient in French, and I will have taken three semesters of Italian by the beginning of my Junior year.

I have looked most into Bocconi University in Milan - for someone who has studied there, what is it like? What are the classes like, the students, the housing? Is it easy to travel around Europe? I have read that Milan can be grey and industrial, and have heard it called the “least Italian” of Italian cities.

Pros: I can improve my Italian and really immerse myself in the culture (I really love languages). Bocconi University is a top school for Economics. It is a great jumping-off point for traveling to other places, such as France, Switzerland, other cities in Italy. I hear the transportation system is pretty good (if anyone could confirm). WashU already has a program in place, so I wouldn’t have to jump through as many hoops to apply separately to a different program and get approval for that.

Cons: Student housing is far away from campus. It is not as beautiful as other cities in Italy, and other cities in general that I am considering. It is generally more business-y and fast-paced, and I would rather have a more leisurely experience. Compared to London, Milan pales in many aspects, such as diversity, things to do, general bustle of excitement and youth (maybe I’m just making it up, but that’s the impression I get). Generally it seems less beautiful and less exciting.

I’ve spoken a lot about Bocconi, but I’d love to hear where people similar to me have studied abroad and really enjoyed it. I am highly considering France as an option, as I want to have a truly immersive experience. I’m looking for advice in general about Economics study abroad, but also about Bocconi, London, France, and anywhere else Economics majors have studied and thrived (Edinburgh, I’ve heard is nice)

Thanks for any and all advice!

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If you are taking classes with ‘regular’ students (as opposed to classes run by WashU or specially organized for study abroad students) you will find that it’s a very different experience- talk to students from your school who have already studied in Europe. Would your classes at Bocconi be in Italian? will your Italian grades affect your US GPA? If so, you might find that 3 semesters of Italian is not enough to get the marks you want.

Transport around Italy is indeed good. Milan is not lovely, but universities are universities, and there are plenty of ‘youth’ and related activities.

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Milan is a well functioning Northern Italian city, there is some wonderful stuff going on there in terms of design, e.g. the April furniture fair. It is a transport hub, with trains direct all over W Europe.

I worked in both Boconni and U Bologna. To be honest, I do not think that any of the Italian universities are all that good academically. Bocconi has the reputation for being best in Italy for econ and business, but classes tend to be big, access to profs limited, and compared to French and British students, I can’t say I was that impressed.

If you speak French and want substance, I would recommend Paris, but you must be careful what uni you pick as they vary widely in quality. You might want to look at Sciences-Po.